1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to a portable basketball goal assembly which may be compacted for storage. More particularly, the present invention is related to a portable basketball goal system employing a unique design to enhance the compacted storage of the basketball goal system.
2. Technical Background
As the game of basketball has increased in popularity a greater number of people have purchased basketball goals for use at their homes. Such goals are typically permanently mounted such that the driveway of the home serves as the basketball court, as few homes have sufficient land surrounding the home to dedicate space for exclusive use as a basketball court. In some instances, locating where to mount a basketball goal can pose some difficulties. For example, in some homes, permanently mounting a basketball goal next to the driveway could provide a risk to traffic in the driveway, resulting in danger or damage to both automobiles and the goal system.
In some cases, the only viable location for mounting a basketball goal is in a location where permanently mounting a goal cannot be easily accomplished. Such a location may be where there is concrete or asphalt on the ground; thus, to mount the goal would require breaking a hole in the concrete or asphalt and then repairing the hole after the pole has been affixed in the ground. Such a procedure could be expensive and would most likely leave the driveway appearing unsightly.
Permanently installed outdoor basketball goals suffer from other disadvantages as well. Because they are permanently mounted, they are generally exposed to the weather throughout the entire year. Constant exposure to the weather can cause the goal system to prematurely wear by promoting oxidation. Premature oxidation can be particularly troublesome in goals having moving parts, such as goals that employ adjustable height or breakaway goal mechanisms. Constant exposure to the weather can cause these mechanisms to prematurely fail.
Even permanently mounted basketball goals utilized in indoor environments suffer from some disadvantages. For example, a typical school has a gymnasium which must serve many purposes. Having several basketball goals permanently mounted for use in the gymnasium may preclude or at least interfere with certain other activities. On formal occasions, objection may be made to the appearance of permanently mounted basketball goals.
In response to these and other disadvantages inherent in permanently mounted basketball goals, some designs of portable basketball goals have been developed. In order for a portable goal to be effective, sufficient weight must be employed to maintain the goal in a generally rigid position for use in playing the game of basketball. Hence, some portable designs utilize a great deal of weight, making the goals particularly difficult to move and possibly requiring the assistance of several people to set up or remove the goal. Additionally, such designs can be prohibitively expensive for people desiring to purchase one for use at their home.
Some prior-art designs have utilized removable weights, such as sand bags or metal weights, for use on the support structure. A principal disadvantage to the use of these types of removable weights is that they can be extremely heavy. While the support and the goal systems employing such designs may be easier to move, the weights are not. Some such designs, in an attempt to minimize the amount of removable weights required, are extremely large and bulky because they employ long lever arms in order to increase the effective weight of the removable weights.
In an attempt to make a portable basketball goal system that would be ideal for use at home, some designs have employed a base with a hollow cavity for receiving a ballast material. The ballast material may be water, sand, or other suitable material. Such systems can be easily moved to a desired location where the base is then filled with the ballast material, thereby providing sufficient weight to maintain the goal in a generally rigid position for use in playing basketball. When it is desired to move the goal, the ballast material is emptied out and the goal moved. The principal advantage of such a goal is in the use of the ballast material. Water and sand are inexpensive and convenient to use. Such ballast filled goal designs do suffer from some disadvantages, however. Having to fill and empty the goal each time the goal is to be set up or moved requires time and is an inconvenience. This procedure is particularly difficult if the goal is being used indoors. Furthermore, if water or sand is used, a large quantity will be required to effectively support the goal in a generally rigid position. Thus, when emptying the ballast material out of the goal, precautions have to be taken to ensure that the material is properly directed so it does not cause damage to the home or other surroundings. Also, the utilization of a water-filled base presents the hazard that the base receptacle or container aspect could be broken if the water within the base freezes and expands.
An almost universal disadvantage to the use of any portable basketball goal system is that they are difficult to store. A standard height basketball goal is approximately 12 feet. Few people have garages or storage sheds that will accommodate a 12 foot apparatus. Thus, such portable goals are usually stored in a horizontal position. Of course, storing a basketball goal system in a horizontal position takes up substantial floor space. Some garages or storage sheds do not have sufficient floor space to store a goal, forcing the owner to store the goal outside, thereby eliminating some of the advantages of the portable goal system.
One method of reducing the height of the basketball goal system is to have a height adjustable pole as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,835 issued to Van Nimwegen et al. However, the amount that the pole can be decreased in height is limited and the backboard still adds additional height to the system. Height may be further decreased by removing the backboard but this is inconvenient as backboards are typically securely attached to the pole by bolts or screws. Furthermore, it is advantageous to retain connection of all parts of the basketball goal system for convenience and to prevent loss.
Because the base of the basketball goal system must be large enough to provide sufficient support for the system, the base requires a substantial amount of floor space. A base can typically require between 6 and 10 square feet of floor space for storage. Thus, even if the basketball goal system vertically fits in the garage or shed it may not be stored there for lack of floor space.
Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a portable support for a basketball goal system which can use a ballast material for weight but can also be easily stored by one person without having to remove the ballast material.
It would also be an advancement in the art to provide a portable basketball goal system which decreases the maximum vertical height of the basketball goal system by reducing the vertical extension of the backboard and the height of the pole, thereby facilitating storage of the system.
It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a portable basketball goal system which would allow manipulation of the base, pole, backboard, and rim to position such members in substantially the same plane thereby permitting the system to be stored in a generally vertical position and reducing the amount of floor storage space.
It would be yet another advancement in the art to permit manual manipulation of the basketball goal system for storage while maintaining the interconnection of the rim, backboard, pole, and base.
Such a device is disclosed and claimed herein.